


Detach with Love

by PattRose



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: AU, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, M/M, Mean Naomi, Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-12
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-12-23 07:02:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/923361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PattRose/pseuds/PattRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naomi wants Blair all to herself and isn't happy about Jim and Blair being a couple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Detach with Love

Detach with Love  
By Patt

 

Title: Detach with Love  
Author: Patt  
Beta: Kelly   
Summary: Naomi wants Blair all to herself and isn't happy about them being a couple.   
Warnings: Mild slash. Some use of the F word.   
Word count: 5489  
Email: PattRose1@aol.com

 

Detach with Love  
By Patt

 

Blair was watching Jim closely because if he didn’t know better, he would think that Jim didn’t like his mother. Jim was watching her like she was a criminal or something. Everyone loved Naomi, even when Blair didn’t want them to love her. 

Growing up, all of his friends had a thing for Naomi and they were all jealous of the fact that he had the coolest mom. She was cool. She let all of them do their thing as long as they weren’t hurting anyone and this made all of them happy. But there were a few times that Blair would have liked his mom to just be a regular mom. But still, Jim didn’t have to be giving her the evil eye did he? 

Jim had stopped staring at her and was now ignoring her. Either way, didn’t make Blair too happy. No one ignored Naomi either. What was wrong with Jim? 

“Hey man, need any help with dinner?” Blair asked Jim. 

“No, I’m perfectly capable of making dinner on my own, thank you very much,” Jim replied. 

“What is wrong with you? Man, you’re a grouch tonight,” Blair snapped back at Jim. 

“Well, maybe I don’t like having my furniture moved around my own house. I can’t find anything that I cook with because she redid my kitchen while I was at work.” Jim was fuming. 

“Hey, she did you a big favor. Your kitchen was very much unorganized. Now it’s not. So stop your bitching.” Blair walked out of the kitchen and knew that Jim didn’t like his mom now. He wasn’t just guessing, he knew it. 

Jim was still clattering pans in the kitchen, making as much noise as he could. It almost seemed like he was doing it on purpose. His mother was meditating and was trying to relax and Jim was making it near impossible to do. 

Blair walked back in the kitchen and said, “Do you want my mother to leave?”

“Chief, I don’t care where she stays, but if she burns sage in my loft ever again, I’m going to toss her over the balcony. And don’t think I won’t.”

Blair just stood there with his mouth agape. Surely he wasn’t talking this way about his mother. What was wrong with Jim? Everyone else loved Naomi. 

“So, you don’t like her burning sage and you don’t want her to touch your furniture, am I right?”

“You got it on one,” Jim answered. 

“Are you really allergic to sage, or are you just being an asshole for kicks?” 

Jim glared at Blair and didn’t even bother to answer. 

“Well?”

“Hey, I’m an asshole; I don’t need to answer anything I don’t want to.”

Blair whispered, “Do you hate my mom?”

“Chief, she’s in the next room. Shut your mouth,” Jim reminded him and got busy making the dumplings next. 

“What are you making anyhow, it smells really good?”

“Chicken and dumplings. It’s a good recipe, I like it anyhow. We’ll wait and see if you and your mom like it,” Jim said. 

“Can I have the recipe?” 

“Blair, we live in the same place, why would you need a separate recipe?”

“In case I want to cook some day for some lady friend,” Blair answered. 

“Get your own recipes,” Jim grumbled and went back to what he was doing. 

_Well, fuck. Now he’s acting like he doesn’t like me either. What is his problem?”_

Blair went in and sat on the sofa and waited for his mother to stop meditating. When she did he smiled at her and said, “Jim has dinner almost done, mom.”

“It smells good, but I bet it’s not good for us. He doesn’t remind me of someone that cares what goes into his body,” Naomi stated. She didn’t even care if he heard her, which he **did** , she was in her own little world. 

Blair saw that Jim heard her and was pissed again. “Mom, I have to live here could you try and be nice?”

“Oh Blair honey, he’s not going to throw you out, or he would have done it by now.”

Blair rolled his eyes and wondered if she ever thought before she opened her mouth and then he sighed very loudly so that Jim would know he wasn’t happy with her remark. He didn’t want to get thrown out of the only place he had called home for some time. 

“Dinner is done, if anyone wants to eat it,” Jim called out from the kitchen. He set the table quickly and put the food on. 

Blair washed his hands and sat down at the table. “Jim this smells delicious. Thanks so much for making us dinner.”

“You’re welcome, Chief.” Jim dished out some of the chicken and dumplings and then gave Blair a helping of green beans. Then he dished Naomi’s plate next and she frowned when she saw it. 

“I bet you didn’t use any soy products did you?”

“No, Naomi I didn’t use any soy products and I never will. This is my house and I eat what tastes good to me.”

“Oh Jim, you have to try dinner one night made with tofu. It’s delicious. Wait and see,” Naomi said. 

“No thank you, Naomi. I won’t eat it.” Jim started eating his wonderful dinner and didn’t even look like he was enjoying it. Blair felt bad because he was torn between his mom and his friend. 

“Mom, I would eat some of your tofu meatloaf if you made it. It’s surprisingly good, Jim.”

“Chief, I don’t want to be surprised, thanks, anyhow.”

“Dinner is delicious, Jim. Thank you so much for making this. Did you use boneless chicken breasts and cut it up for this?”

Jim finally looked interested in something Blair said. “Yeah, that’s what I did. Then I used broth for the base and added corn starch to thicken it a little bit. The recipe is very simple.”

“Well, simple or not, it’s really good, don’t you think so, mom?”

“It’s fine if you like meat. I’m not that big on meat,” Naomi answered. 

“Mom, you always made me tongue while I was growing up, what are you talking about?” Blair asked. 

“Did you ever see me eat a bite of it, Blair?” 

Blair thought back and realized he never had. “I thought it was one of your favorites, so that’s why I always ate it.”

“It was one of your grandfather’s favorite dishes too, and I thought you should eat something that he ate now and then. I wanted you to chose as you got older. I’m sad to see you eat like this all the time,” Naomi said and didn’t realize how rude it sounded. 

“Chief, you eat tongue?”

“Yeah, it’s really good, believe it or not,” Blair answered. 

“I might try it, if you like it that much,” Jim agreed and this made Naomi smile. 

“He can be taught, Blair.”

Jim stopped smiling and started to clear the table. Blair got up and started to help him and Jim said, “I made dessert too.”

“You did? What did you make?” Blair wondered aloud. 

“Those peanut butter cookies you love so much.”

“Do you mean the ones without any flour in them?” Blair asked. 

“You got it. Do you want a big glass of milk to go with your plate of cookies?” Jim asked. 

“Yeah, man, that sounds great. Thanks, Jim.” Blair sat back down and let Jim wait on him. He seriously liked when Jim made dinner and waited on him. He didn’t want anyone to know this, but he was fairly certain that Jim knew. 

“Don’t get me any cookies, I don’t want any of that terrible sugar in me,” Naomi said. 

“Okay,” Jim replied and sat down with his plate of cookies and glass of milk. He and Blair were enjoying the hell out of them. 

“Blair, I can’t believe you are eating that entire plate of cookies, didn’t I teach you what was good and bad?”

“Mom, just leave me alone to enjoy this. Jim makes the best cookies around. If you tried them, you would realize I was right.”

Naomi got up and started to do dishes. 

“Don’t bother with dishes, I’ll get them,” Jim said over his shoulder. 

“I really don’t mind anyhow. You need to straighten up some things in here too.” She started running hot water for the dishes and Blair said, “Mom, why don’t you go relax in my room and read for a while?”

“Fine. I was only trying to help.” Naomi stomped off like a child throwing a temper tantrum which made Blair smile but not Jim. He didn’t think it was funny at all. 

Once the door to his room was shut, Blair said, “Thank you for the great dinner, Jim. It was so good. And of course, I loved dessert.”

“You’re most welcome, Blair.”

“Can I help you with dishes?” Blair asked hoping Jim wouldn’t bite his head off. 

“Don’t you always? I would feel odd if I had to do dishes alone,” Jim admitted. 

This made Blair smile and the guys worked in the kitchen in silence, but not because Blair wanted to, he was afraid to ask Jim why he disliked his mom so much. 

Once they were done, Jim said, “I’m going to call it a night. Talk to you tomorrow. Are you going into the station or not?”

“I’m going to be there about 1:00 tomorrow afternoon. I don’t know what time my mom is leaving yet. She said tomorrow, but maybe she’ll stay a little longer. Do you mind?”

“She’s your mom, Chief. She’s welcome here too. This is your home.”

Blair smiled at Jim’s retreating form as he walked up the stairs. Jim was tired, but not exhausted. He just had a lot on his mind. 

Jim lay down on his bed and did some thinking. Why was he being such a prick about Sandburg’s mom? It wasn’t like she wasn’t nice. She seemed nice enough, but there was something there that bothered Jim. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but it was there. He really hated when she meditated and burned sage. God, the smell just wouldn’t leave. It was in the comforter and everything. He didn’t say anything to Blair, but once she left, Jim was going to have to wash everything and start from scratch. He was glad he didn’t have to mess with family much. That wasn’t fair. This was Blair’s only family and Jim should treat her nicer. But why? She had criticized Jim since the moment she got there. He didn’t do anything right in her eyes. Not that Jim felt he needed her acceptance, but it would have been nice for Blair. Blair always wanted things to go smoothly and Jim could tell they weren’t going to with Naomi there. That was his Blair all right, always trying to smooth things over. _His Blair?_ Since when did Jim think of Blair as his? Maybe that was another one of the problems. No doubt Naomi wouldn’t approve of Jim and Blair together. Not that Jim was going to say anything anyhow. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Blair lay down on the sofa for a night of sleep, except sleep eluded him. Why didn’t Jim like Naomi? It was important that Jim like her because Blair adored Jim and wanted the two of them to get along. What if Jim and Blair became involved or something? Wouldn’t it be better if Jim liked his mother-in-law? _Whoa, you’re getting way ahead of yourself, Sandburg. He doesn’t even know you’re alive._

Why was Naomi fighting Jim like she was? She seemed to be going out of her way to piss Jim off. Everyone got along with Naomi, but then again, Naomi never had to share anyone with him. Maybe his mother was jealous. Stranger things had happened. Blair wished he had enough nerve to walk up the stairs and tell Jim just how he felt. But alas, it was not meant to be.

Blair tossed and turned and could hear Jim doing much of the same thing upstairs. What if Jim was thinking about the same things that Blair was? What if Blair really did go upstairs to talk to Jim about the two of them? Blair got up and walked up the stairs slowly. 

“What do you need Sandburg?” Jim called out when Blair was only half-way up the stairs. 

“I was wondering if I could talk to you.”

“Sure, I wasn’t sleeping anyhow, Chief.”

Jim turned his bedside lamp on and thankfully it wasn’t too bright. Now Blair wouldn’t be as embarrassed about talking. 

“What’s up, Blair?”

“Jim, how do you feel about me?” 

“I think you’re the best partner and roommate a person could hope for, why?” 

“Do you ever think about me in any other way?” Blair asked hopefully. 

Jim cleared his throat. “As a matter of fact, I was thinking about you tonight. I had you on my mind and I said to myself, ‘my Blair’. I didn’t know where that came from, but I realized that I do feel that way about you. You’re not only my Guide, but you’re my best friend and maybe more.”

“Do you date guys, Jim?”

“I have in the past, if that’s what you’re asking. I haven’t since I’ve known you, but before Carolyn, I dated only men for a long, long while,” Jim confessed. 

“Me too. Not before Carolyn, but before I moved in with you, I was pretty much seeing guys. Some girls now and then to throw you off the scent, but I like men. No, let me rephrase that, I like you.” Blair blushed a little, making him even more loveable in Jim’s eyes. 

Jim moved over in his bed and said, “Come on, we’ll sleep tonight and talk tomorrow.”

Blair climbed in beside Jim and immediately moved his body into Jim’s sleeping space. 

“Oh I see, you’re a bed hog,” Jim teased. 

Blair snickered and just cuddled in closer and closer until he could feel Jim’s cock on his backside. 

“Blair, I just meant sleep. Keep that up and we’re going to be doing more then sleeping.”

Blair turned over and faced Jim’s body this time and began to kiss his man. Jim was a mighty fine kisser and so was Blair. They kissed for a long time and finally Jim pulled away and said, “I’m just about to come in my pants from kissing you alone. I don’t want to come in my pants.”

Blair looked at him and asked, “69?”

Jim flipped over as fast as he could and they both took their boxers off. Jim liked the look of Blair’s cock. It was sturdy, thick and a nice respectable length. Blair was packing some major heat. As he stiffened in Jim’s hand, Jim realized how big he was and thought, _Holy shit_.

Blair was admiring his view at the same time as he licked and sucked a little at a time. Jim was too fucking big to take in all at once. Blair was going to have to work on this. Jim’s cock was somewhat different then Blair’s. It was longer, but much thinner and as it grew Blair knew he had his hands full. _Oh goody, I just made a sex joke to myself._

Both men started giving the other one a blow job as soon as they got used to the length and fullness in their mouths. It wasn’t long and they both exploded into the other’s mouth. 

Jim came back up to the top of the bed and said, “You’re good.”

“So are you. Jim, you don’t think less of me for sleeping with you on our first date, do you?”

“Blair, you consider this our first date? Hell, I just thought you were easy.”

Blair smacked him in the arm and they both started laughing. “Seriously, Chief, this was one hell of a first date. I’m tired now, can we sleep?”

“Yes, I agree, we need to sleep,” Blair answered and kissed Jim goodnight. Jim kissed him back and almost got his motor running again, but then remembered he was tired. 

Before long they were both asleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Blair got up early the next morning so that he wouldn’t get caught upstairs with Jim. He didn’t know how Naomi would take that news at all. He showered, dressed and started coffee and made breakfast. Naomi came walking out and said, “Do you always get up at this ungodly hour, Blair?”

“Pretty much, mom. I have classes I teach and Jim goes into the station so we get up early. I never knew you liked to sleep in this much.”

“Since I’ve gotten older, I sleep more. I even went to the doctor. I know, I know, you think I’ve totally lost it now, right? But I couldn’t seem to get enough sleep and he told me I needed vitamins. So I started taking them and they are helping, but I’m just getting older. I’m sure Jim feels the same way.”

“Mom, Jim isn’t your age, he’s 9 years older then I am.”

“Same difference, sweetie. He’s older and needs his sleep.” Naomi went over and started the teapot for tea and Jim came walking down the stairs. 

“Yes, I am getting older, Naomi. It’s part of life,” Jim said as he walked over and got a cup of coffee. He leaned down and kissed Blair and didn’t even think about what he was doing. 

Blair jumped back and Naomi said, “What in the hell was that?”

“Mom, I swear I was going to tell you tonight. Jim wasn’t thinking or he wouldn’t have ruined the surprise for you,” Blair said. 

“I was thinking and I can kiss you any time I feel like it, Sandburg.”

“You let him talk to you that way?” Naomi asked horrified at Jim’s comeback. 

“Okay, it’s too late now to act like we aren’t an item. We are. Mom, you either accept us or you don’t.”

Jim smiled over at the nervous man in front of him. He wanted to kiss him again just for that. 

“Blair honey, we really need to talk. And I mean talk without Jim here.”

“I’ll be gone soon enough, Naomi. You can talk all you want to.”

“Don’t you get smart with me, James Ellison. I’m his mother, not someone you can boss around and treat like crap,” Naomi ranted. 

Jim set his coffee cup down and walked into the bathroom to shower. He figured he'd better leave the room before she started in and he said something he could never take back. 

Jim was standing in front of the mirror looking at the lost man in front of it when he heard Naomi say, “Blair, did you see how he treated me? Are you going to stick up for him now?”

“Mom, we’re an item, so I don’t want to hear about it. Try and understand that we’re in love.”

“You’re in love with someone who doesn’t like your mother. Did you not notice that he doesn’t like me?”

“I noticed, I’m trying to figure out why he doesn’t like you. Other then the fact that you tried to kill him with sage and you moved all of his furniture around and now you want to do his kitchen. Gee, I don’t know why he wouldn’t love you to death?” Blair asked sarcastically. 

“I see. You’ve chosen this man over me. I can’t believe this, Blair. I’ve been your mother forever and this man has been your lover for how long? A month?”

“It doesn’t matter when we started seeing each other, mom. The fact is that we love each other. Surely you must understand that, right?”

“I understand one thing, Blair, you are detaching with love. Only I’m the one you’re detaching from. I never thought I would see this day come to be. I’ll be gone in an hour. I’m sorry I bothered you.”

“Mom, please don’t leave. Stay longer and get to know Jim and see the two of us together. We’re good together. We work. I love him, mom.”

“More then you love me, I guess. I hope you’ll be happy. Tell him I said goodbye,” Naomi walked into Blair’s room and slammed the door. 

“And what about me, mom. You just just going to detach with love with me?” Blair called out. 

His mother charged out of the room and said, “You have no idea what it was like raising you. I could have left you when you were born, but I didn’t. I didn’t detach with love. That’s only for lovers, not for mothers or sons.”

“So I should leave Jim? Is that what you’re saying? Just dump him because you don’t like him?” Blair yelled. 

Jim came walking out of the bathroom and said, “You don’t have to leave, Naomi. I’m going to stay at my dad’s for a while and you and Blair work this out.”

“That’s the first smart thing he’s said since I met him,” Naomi said. 

“Mom, that was hateful and hurtful. You’re treating him like shit. There is no reason. I don’t want him to leave. I want him to stay here. If you want to leave, then you do so. It’s up to you, but Jim, you’re not going to your dad’s house.”

Jim just stood there and looked at Blair strangely. He couldn’t believe that Blair just chose him over his mother. Blair really did love him. Jim walked over to Blair and hugged him closely to his body and then kissed him. 

“Oh for gods sake, like that’s the answer to everything,” Naomi ranted some more. 

“Sometimes it is, mom. I love Jim and he loves me. He was willing to step aside so you and I could work things out. I don’t see you making that same step. You must not love me as much as I’ve always loved you.” 

Naomi went into the room and started to get dressed. She packed everything and walked out the front door without a goodbye or anything. 

Blair just stood there with big tears in his eyes and said, “And that’s what she calls detaching with love. I’ve seen it many times before, but never towards me.”

“Chief, I don’t want things to end this way,” Jim pleaded. 

“Jim, why do you dislike my mother?”

“Because of what she just did. She leaves you. I could never do that. You’re this wonderful human being that anyone would love to be in love with or love as their child and she abused that power. She didn’t love you enough. Just like my mom didn’t love me enough. I realize yours stayed with you, but she left you with strangers all the time and left you in college for years without checking on you. That’s why I don’t care for her. She thinks she can do nothing wrong and until someone tells her she did do something wrong she’ll continue to leave you and abuse you in her own way. At least my mom just left, she didn’t come back and taunt me.”

Blair went into Jim’s arms and started to sniff softly. He wasn’t a cry baby, so he wasn’t going to do that, but Jim made some valid points. Now he knew why Jim had looked at her that way. She reminded Jim of his mom. Blair pulled away from Jim and said, “She’ll come back, she always does.”

“She might not with me in the picture. Maybe you should find her before she leaves and ask her to come talk with us tonight,” Jim suggested. 

“Jim, honestly, I don’t want to talk to her right now. I’m angry and no one should ever have a discussion when they’re angry. I’ve got to get to class. I’ll see you at the station at 1:00, okay?”

“Okay. I do wish you’d call her at least. Leave her a message. Let her know you still love her,” Jim said. 

“I might. I have to get to class. Come here, you big lug.” Blair pulled Jim down for a very wet and sexy kiss. “Be well, I’ll see you at 1:00.”

“Bye, Chief.” Jim patted Blair’s behind and smiled when Blair looked all offended. They both laughed as Blair walked out the door. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Once he was in his car, Blair pulled his cell phone out and called Naomi. She answered. “Mom, I’m sorry I was so mean today. I really would like to talk to you tonight. But Jim and I are a couple. That’s not going to change. He wants me to work this out with you. It was his idea that I call you.”

“Blair, do you think that makes me feel any better? You just picked a man over your mother. You chose a pig over your mother. Things couldn’t get much worse.”

“Mom, do you want to meet somewhere and talk to me or not?” 

“Fine, I’ll meet you at Dave’s Diner at 1:00. Be there or I’ll know you chose him again.”

“I’ll be there, mom. Talk to you soon, goodbye,” Blair said before he closed his cell. His mother hadn’t even said goodbye to him. 

Blair called Jim and said, “Change of plans. She wants to meet me at 1:00 for lunch and a talk. So I’ll be late to the station.”

“Good, I’m glad you’re going, Chief. We’ll talk tonight. Just discuss things with your mom and don’t worry about the station. Okay?” Jim asked sweetly. 

“Thank you, Jim. I love you, man.”

“I love you too, Chief.”

Jim smiled as he hung up the phone. He was going to really try and be nicer to Blair’s mom. He was going to make her want to come and visit, if it killed him and it just might. 

~~~~~~~~~~

At 1:00, he pulled into Dave’s Diner and walked in. He saw his mother right away. She was with a friend of hers. 

“Hi Maggie, it’s good to see you,” Blair said as he sat down. “It’s good to see you too, mom.”

“Naomi, he seems pretty well to me. He’s happy to see you, why did you think that he’s on something?” Maggie asked Naomi. 

“Mom, you thought I was on something?” Blair asked shocked to his very core.

“Well, honey why else would you give up your mother?”

“Mom, I didn’t give you up, I just want to have both of you in my life. Why can’t I have both of you in it?” Blair pleaded. 

“Blair, I don’t approve of you and Jim. If you don’t stop seeing him, what will I have to do to make you stop?” Naomi asked. 

Maggie said, “Okay, Naomi, I see someone has a problem, but it’s not Blair. It’s you. You certainly can accept Blair and his lover. He’s your son. You can’t just leave him and forget he was yours all of those years.”

“It’s okay Maggie. This is one reason Jim didn’t like Naomi. He said at least his mother just left him. She didn’t come back into his life now and then to taunt him. This is what Naomi does. And I don’t believe in it anymore. Let Jim be right for a change. I give up, mom. I’m sorry.” Blair got out of the booth and walked out the front door. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Blair arrived at the station at about 2:00. Jim was somewhat surprised but saw the sad look on Blair’s face and knew that things had not gone well. 

“Sorry, Chief. I wish things would have gone down differently.”

“It’s not your fault, man. She had her chance. Now let’s get to work. I want to stay busy,” Blair said. 

They worked side by side all afternoon long and both left at 5:00. When they drove up to the house, Jim saw Naomi waiting on the stoop in front of the building. Jim felt a surge of hope go through him. 

Naomi hugged her son and said, “I’ll take back everything I said. I can’t live without my son.”

Blair hugged her so hard that he was afraid he would crush her. “Good, mom, cuz I don’t want you to live without me.”

“Jim, I’m sorry for all of the shitty things I said to you too.”

“Naomi, we’re both sorry, so maybe we could start over again,” Jim said. 

“That would be good. What are you making for dinner tonight? Last night's dinner really did smell good. I wish I would have tried some,” Naomi said smiling as she hugged Jim. 

“We’re having leftovers. So you get a repeat of last night, except tonight you are going to try it and tonight I’ll let you help me with dishes. A new partner in the kitchen is nice now and then,” Jim suggested. 

“That works for me, Jim. Let’s go upstairs and start all over again.”

Blair and his mom talked all the way up the stairs and Jim was happy that she accepted them and was going to move on. But she still would be detaching with love every time she left him. Jim knew he was going to have to live with that as well as Blair would. 

Life wasn't always fair. 

The end 

**FAVORITE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS**  
   
Chicken Preparation:  
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts.   
2 quarts water or chicken broth  
1 teaspoon bouillon powder (If needed)  
1 onion, whole  
garlic to taste  
pinch of black pepper (I like lots of black pepper in it)  
1/2 lb. baby carrots  
1 or 2 tablespoons butter (Not oleo)  
1-2 tablespoons of corn starch (As needed)

Wash chicken and chop into small bite sized pieces. Place in a large enough pot to cover with about 2 quarts of water or chicken broth and bouillon powder (a bouillon cube or soup base may be substituted. Add pepper, onion and garlic. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce heat immediately to low; simmer for 60-90 minutes until chicken is very tender.   
Add the baby carrots to the broth and cook carrots on medium until tender (about 15-20 minutes). Continue to simmer the broth over low heat while preparing the dumplings. You can now add the corn starch to thicken the broth somewhat. Some people like it thick and others like it more runny. It’s a matter of taste.   
**Dumplings:**  
2 cups flour  
2 teaspoons baking powder  
1/2 teaspoon salt  
1/3 teaspoon baking soda  
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar  
2 tablespoons cold butter  
1 cup buttermilk  
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda, mixing well. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender or a large fork (pastry makers mix in the shortening using their hands - if you want to try, dip your hands in ice cold water for a minute, then dry your hands first; it's important not to melt the butter!)   
Note: Butter is the shortening used in this recipe.   
Add cold buttermilk, a few spoons at a time, mixing the dough from the outside in with fork until a soft dough forms (do not overmix - about 2 minutes total). You may need to add a small amount of buttermilk or flour to adjust the consistency of the dough due to flour storage conditions or humidity in the environment. Add liquid if the dough is very dry and crumbly after it has been mixed; add flour if the dough is very sticky.   
Roll dough out on a work surface which has been lightly sprinkled with with flour to prevent sticking. Roll dough out thinly, about 1/8" thick, then slice into strips, each about 2 inches in length.   
Gently drop the dumplings into the simmering chicken broth. Stir them gently to prevent sticking. Add butter and simmer for another 10 minutes or so before serving.   
Serve with the carrots on the side and sprinkle the chicken and dumplings with a bit of chopped parsley, if desired. 

 

 **Dessert Recipe:**

 

 **NO FLOUR PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES**  
   
1 c. sugar  
1 c. peanut butter  
1 egg  
1 tsp. vanilla

Roll into balls. Put on cookie sheets and press. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch closely.


End file.
